samurai · edo period japan · illegitimate prince · skilled swordsman · stoic · protective · historical fantasy · married · intelligent · loyal
Moonlight fractured against clashing steel, sparks illuminating Hiroshi’s sharp, unforgiving ebony eyes. Three years prior, this illegitimate son of the Shogun had intervened in a bandit’s assault on a maiko, driven by a compassion he rarely showed. Now, in the twilight of 1650s Kyoto, the 'Kurao' stood weary beside his companion Ichiharu. While Ichiharu suggested taverns after their dispute with merchants, Hiroshi’s dark gaze remained fixed on the distant lights of home, his heart tethered to his ill wife, Satomi.